Placer County continues its ongoing efforts in the Lake Tahoe basin to make improvements that better the environment and provide amenities to both visitors and residents. The Board of Supervisors today approved the expenditure of almost $1.5 million for project development.

The funds come from the transient occupancy tax (TOT) that is collected from vacation rentals in the North Lake Tahoe area. Those funds are held in the county treasury specifically for capital projects in the eastern end of the county.

“I think there are a lot of very good projects here,” said Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery, whose Fifth District encompasses Placer County’s portion of Lake Tahoe. “I think they’re stellar and I’m pleased to see some work being done on repairing infrastructure.”

The county has an agreement with the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, which reviews and recommends grant requests for capital project funding. Because the agreement is funded with Placer County TOT revenue, expenditures require Board of Supervisors approval. The projects, which are listed below, have no net cost to the county.

The projects include:

Truckee River Trail Restoration ($433,859)Funding would pay for the first year of a three-year project for complete reconstruction of significant areas of the Truckee River Trail between 64-Acres Park in Tahoe City and the entrance to Squaw Valley. Work will repair surface damage, shoulder failure and drainage/erosion issues.

Martis Valley Trail Segment 3A Planning and Development ($250,000)The expenditure will pay for design and construction of segment 3A of the Northstar/Martis Valley Trail. This section will run from the Wildlife Viewing Area to the east end of the Northstar Golf Course.

Squaw Valley Bike Trail and Staging Area Rehabilitation ($246,500)This funding will pay for the first year of a two-year project for major rehabilitation of asphalt surfaces of the Squaw Valley Bike Trail and the trail staging area in Squaw Valley Park. Rehabilitation work will include crack sealing, structural stabilization and renewed wearing surfaces.

North Tahoe Regional Park Trail and Way Finding Signage ($135,000)The county has embarked on an effort to construct way finding and interpretive signage on the North Shore. These funds will pay for signage, and will also be used for trail improvements leading to and within North Tahoe Regional Park in Tahoe Vista, as well as replacement of par course equipment in this popular, highly utilized park.

Tahoe Public Art Program ($125,000)The Kings Beach Commercial Core Improvement Project is transforming Highway 28 through the heart of this Tahoe basin community, reducing the pollution that gets into the lake, making the community safer and more accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists and improving aesthetics. The installation of roundabouts is a part of this project and this program will provide for construction, installation, and marketing/promotion of public art in these roundabouts.

Tahoe City Mobility Improvements Plan - ($85,000)The county’s Department of Public Works and a consulting firm will use these funds to do preliminary work on mobility improvement planning for Tahoe City. This work will eventually provide preliminary design plans, specifications and an engineer's estimate, as well as environmental documentation.

Tahoe City Parking Facilities Project Plan - ($85,000)A key component of creating walkable communities is to provide adequate parking facilities. This project will allow the Department of Public Works to do preliminary engineering services of public parking facilities identified in the Tahoe City parking study. Based upon preliminary results, proposed services may focus on modifications to the Grove Street parking lot.

Lake Tahoe Water Conditions Interactive Displays - ($65,000)The requested funds are for design, fabrication and installation of touchscreen interpretive displays in three high visitation facilities, which have not yet been identified. These displays will use a proprietary software program that continuously measures near-shore Lake Tahoe water quality by reporting lake water temperatures, surface currents, wind speeds and directions, clarity, algal concentration, and other variables every 30 seconds, 24 hours a day.

Speedboat Beach Access Master Plan - ($50,000)These funds will pay for a study on public safety and access issues at Speedboat Beach, a small beach near the Nevada state line. The beach’s popularity has created crowding of limited parking on narrow residential streets, resulting in visitors parking off road and on private residential property. The study will consider potential pedestrian access improvements, informational and interpretive signage at the beach, parking solutions, and options for restroom facilities.

Tahoe City Field Station Way Finding Signage - ($6,250)The requested funds will pay for fabrication and installation of a way finding entrance sign at the front of the Tahoe City Field Station/Interpretive Center in Lake Forest.